The present invention relates to a vehicle running control apparatus and map information data recording medium, such as a Cruise Control apparatus, Adaptive Cruise Control (described ACC hereinafter) apparatus or the like.
The ACC apparatus is well known. The ACC apparatus includes a function for keeping the distance between one""s own vehicle and preceding vehicles running in front of the one""s own vehicle.
Techniques relating the ACC apparatus is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-10-166899 as a running control apparatus. In the running control apparatus, the ACC apparatus includes normal control function and deciding means for deciding at least one object value of the distance between vehicles and running speed in response to the output from an estimating means for estimating running road environment recognizing characteristics for a driver.
Further, the running road environment recognizing characteristics estimating means detects the image of the front road surface by using a camera. The estimating means estimates the running road environment recognizing characteristics on the basis of the number of edges in the detected road image or the ratio the areas of whole image to the area of specific color or brightness. The number of the edges represents structures or vehicle parking on the road.
Further, other means for estimating running road environment recognizing characteristics estimates the environment on the basis of the wide of the road, attributes of road (national high way, automobile road, automobile expressway or the like), the number of brunches or the like, which are obtained from a car navigation system, traffic infrastructure or the image of the front road.
Furthermore, other means for estimating running road environment recognizing characteristics estimates the road environment on the basis of the standard deviation of the accelerator divergence within a predetermined time range before the start of constant speed running control.
As described above, the vehicle running control apparatus analyzes the uneasiness environment for a driver by using a running environment recognizing apparatus, compensating the object distance between one""s own vehicle and preceding vehicle and the a vehicle speed set by the driver. Accordingly, the vehicle running control apparatus can control the vehicle running suitable for the road environment, so that a driver uses the constant speed running control apparatus with peace of mind and with no sense of incompatibly of auto speed control in case of no receding vehicle.
According to the above-mentioned prior art, the distance between the vehicles or set vehicle speed is compensated on the basis of the running road environment recognizing characteristics estimated from visible of the road against the structures or vehicle parking at beside the road. The position of one""s own vehicle in the running road, however, is not considered in the above-mentioned prior art.
Therefore, the running control speed may not meet the sense of the vehicle driver. For example, the vehicle speed set to predetermined speed for driver""s safety may be compensated in order to meet the actual road environment.
Further, a vehicle speed can be controlled in a straight road on the basis of the running road environment recognizing characteristics because the running road environment recognizing characteristics is calculated on the basis of the navigation information of wide of the road, attribute of road, and the number of brunches. A vehicle speed, however, may not be controlled at a bad visible section, such as, curved road, the ascending slope near a summit, or the entrance of the descending slope, because other road structure information or running environment information are not used, so that the vehicle speed do not meet the sense of a driver.
An object of the present invention is to realize a vehicle running control apparatus including ACC function and map information data recording medium to obtain effective information for safety driving capable for running control meeting a driver""s feeling.
To achieve the above object, the present invention is constituted as follows.
In a vehicle running control apparatus automatically controlling running of a vehicle without driver""s operation, the vehicle running control apparatus comprises a set speed input means for inputting a set speed; an origination vehicle position detecting means for detecting a position of the origination vehicle; a map information getting means for getting map information including road attributes information and road structure information on the basis of an output from the origination vehicle position detecting means; a running environment recognizing means for recognizing a running environment, including a visible distance estimating means for estimating a visible distance of a driver on a road on the basis of the map information get by the map information getting means; and a vehicle running control means for deciding an object running speed of the origination vehicle in accordance with the visible distance estimated by the running environment recognizing means, for controlling running of the origination vehicle to keep the object running speed.
In a vehicle running control apparatus automatically controlling running of a vehicle without driver""s operation, the vehicle running control apparatus comprises a set speed input means for inputting a set speed; an origination vehicle position detecting means for detecting a position of the origination vehicle; a map information getting means for getting map information including road attributes information and road structure information on the basis of an output from the origination vehicle position detecting means; a running environment recognizing means for recognizing a running environment, including a visible distance estimating means for estimating a visible distance of a driver on a road on the basis of at least one of road attribute, a width of a road, a radius of curvature, and a slope of descending or ascending road in the map information get by the map information getting means; and a vehicle running control means for computing a first running speed in accordance with the visible distance estimated by the running environment recognizing means, comparing the first running speed with the set speed set by the set speed input means, deciding an object running speed of the origination vehicle on the basis of at least one of the first running speed and the set speed when the set speed is higher than the first running speed, controlling running of the origination vehicle to keep the object running speed.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus, the apparatus further comprises a storing means for storing vehicle attribute information of the origination vehicle, wherein the running environment recognizing means corrects the visible distance on the basis of the vehicle attribute information stored in the storing means.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus, the origination vehicle position detecting means detects origination vehicle running lane position information, the map information getting means getting a width of road side area information and a number of lanes of a road information, the running environment recognizing means estimating a visible distance on the basis of at least one information of the origination vehicle running lane position information, the width of road side area information and the number of lanes of a road information.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus, the map information getting means gets presence of a side wall of a road information and a height of the wall information, the running environment recognizing means estimating a visible distance on the basis of at least one information of the presence of a side wall of a road information and a height of the wall information.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus further comprises a space detecting means for detecting the origination vehicle vicinity space information, wherein the running environment recognizing means including a visible distance detecting means for detecting a visible distance, which can be seen by a driver, on the basis of the space information detected by the space detecting means, and an output selecting means for selecting one of outputs from the visible distance estimating means and the visible distance detecting means on the basis of the origination vehicle position detected by the origination vehicle position detecting means.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus, the space detecting means gets an origination vehicle vicinity condition which can be recognized by a driver, dividing the origination vehicle vicinity condition into a dangerous area and a safety area.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus further comprises an origination vehicle position abnormal detecting means for detecting an abnormal condition of an output from the origination vehicle position detecting means, wherein all or part of functions of the running control apparatus is stopped when the origination vehicle position abnormal detecting means detects an abnormal condition of the origination vehicle position.
Also preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus, the abnormal condition of the origination vehicle position is reported to a driver when the origination vehicle position abnormal detecting means detects an abnormal condition of the origination vehicle position and all or part of functions of the running control apparatus is stopped.
In a vehicle running control apparatus automatically controlling running of a vehicle without driver""s operation, the vehicle running control apparatus comprises a set speed input means for inputting a set speed; an origination vehicle position detecting means for detecting a position of the origination vehicle; a map information getting means for getting map information including road attributes information and road structure information on the basis of an output from the origination vehicle position detecting means; a vehicle running control means for deciding an object running speed of the origination vehicle on the basis of the origination vehicle position detected by the origination vehicle position detecting means and the map information get by the map information getting means, controlling running of the origination vehicle to keep the object running speed; and an origination vehicle position abnormal detecting means for detecting an abnormal condition of an output from the origination vehicle position detecting means, wherein all or part of functions of the running control apparatus is stopped when the origination vehicle position abnormal detecting means detects an abnormal condition of the origination vehicle position.
Preferably, in the vehicle running control apparatus, the abnormal condition of the origination vehicle position is reported to a driver when the origination vehicle position abnormal detecting means detects an abnormal condition of the origination vehicle position and all or part of functions of the running control apparatus is stopped.
In a map information data storing medium storing at least road structure information and road attribute information, the a map information data storing medium comprises at least one information of presence of a side wall of a road information, a height of the wall information, and a width of road side band area information.
Preferably, the map information data storing medium further comprises a radius of curvature information, a width of a road information, and a slope of descending or ascending road information.
In a vehicle running control system including a vehicle running control apparatus automatically controlling running of a vehicle without driver""s operation, and a vehicle driving apparatus controlled by the vehicle running control apparatus, the vehicle running control apparatus comprises a set speed input means for inputting a set speed; an origination vehicle position detecting means for detecting a position of the origination vehicle; a map information getting means for getting map information including road attributes information and road structure information on the basis of an output from the origination vehicle position detecting means; a running environment recognizing means for recognizing a running environment, including a visible distance estimating means for estimating a visible distance of a driver on a road on the basis of at least one of road attribute, a width of a road, a radius of curvature, and a slope of descending or ascending road in the map information get by the map information getting means; and a vehicle running control means for computing a first running speed in accordance with the visible distance estimated by the running environment recognizing means, comparing the first running speed with the set speed set by the set speed input means, deciding an object running speed of the origination vehicle on the basis of at least one of the first running speed and the set speed when the set speed is higher than the first running speed, controlling running of the origination vehicle to keep the object running speed, and the vehicle driving apparatus is controlled in accordance with a control command from the vehicle running control apparatus to control a speed of the vehicle.
In an automobile including a vehicle running control apparatus automatically controlling running of an automobile without driver""s operation, and a automobile driving apparatus controlled by the automobile running control apparatus, the automobile running control apparatus comprises a set speed input means for inputting a set speed; an origination automobile position detecting means for detecting a position of the origination automobile; a map information getting means for getting map information including road attributes information and road structure information on the basis of an output from the origination automobile position detecting means; a running environment recognizing means for recognizing a running environment, including a visible distance estimating means for estimating a visible distance of a driver on a road on the basis of at least one of road attribute, a width of a road, a radius of curvature, and a slope of descending or ascending road in the map information get by the map information getting means; and a automobile running control means for computing a first running speed in accordance with the visible distance estimated by the running environment recognizing means, comparing the first running speed with the set speed set by the set speed input means, deciding an object running speed of the origination automobile on the basis of at least one of the first running speed and the set speed when the set speed is higher than the first running speed, controlling running of the origination automobile to keep the object running speed, and the automobile driving apparatus is controlled in accordance with a control command from the automobile running control apparatus to control a speed of the automobile.
The road construction information includes at least the width of a road, radius of curvature, slope, the presence of side wall of a road, and the height of the wall information.